Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 17, 1906.djvu/120

 io8 Correspondence.

The other tribal relations are {b), namely, those which arise out of the nadada-noa, and also of the kanini relations, for instance those oi papa and ngatamura, as shown at p. i66.

I have felt myself to be justified in this view, because the nadada-tioa and kanini relationships are, to my mind, what one might term "legal fictions," carrying with them those relation- ships which attach to the " own " relationships of neyi, kaku, and ngattata of the maternal grand-parents.

Although these different relationships are of the same kind to the Dieri, yet some are considered to be nearer, or, as we might say, stronger than others. For instance, the buyulu, that is the children of sisters, are held to be nearer relations than any others. The relation of the buy u hi brother and sister is far nearer to each other than that of class or totemic brother and sister. The case quoted at p. 167, in which the kindred decided that, as the murdu relation was a far distant one, it was therefore not so strong as the ?iadada-noa one, is in point. But without special enquiry it would be very difficult to find out whether any given relationship were "own" or "tribal."

This " tribal " relation of brother or sister, although not so "near" as the "own," is a true and strong relationship, carrying with the terms neyi, kahi, and ngatata, the obligations attaching to the " own " relations.

One of my early correspondents in the Dieri country said, in writing to me of the totems, that when for instance a man came from a neighbouring tribe on a visit, the men of his totem would receive him hospitably, defend him, provide him with food, and even with a temporary wife.

A reference to the cases quoted by Mr. Hartland will further assist my explanation.

The table which faces p. 159 was settled by Mr. Siebert and myself after several others had been prepared, and put aside as not showing all the details which I desired to bring out. Finally the table as printed was completed, showing descent in the female line from two brothers in each class who married each other's tribal sisters. But in working this out it was necessary, as I have pointed out, to interpolate two "tribal" instead of two "own" relationships, I may point out here that an error has revealed